It’s October, and with October comes opportunities to wear costumes, eat pumpkin-flavored treats, and enjoy the thrill of a horror story. What better way to start the month of frightful delights than with a real classic —the monster story all other monster stories aspire to —Frankenstein! As is the case with most classic tales, there are numerous versions of Frankenstein for everyone to experience, but the iteration currently running is unlikely to be one you’ve seen before. It’s an original production that is so new it did not even exist six months prior to its debut.Continue Reading

Once, the movie and the stage musical now running on the South Coast Repertory Segerstrom Stage, is a romance that defies clichés. There is no last minute run to the airport, no sudden eye-opening change of heart, nor is there a throw everything away and surrender to the passion of the moment. There are two people who fall in love, make each others’ lives better, and then move on as friends. It is a romance that celebrates compassion over passion. It celebrates a love of music over a love of self. The title itself is an abbreviated take on the fairy tale line “Once upon a time…” As such, this musical is one of a kind and an exquisite treat.Continue Reading

Huntington Beach High School just kickstarted their year with the hilarious, two act farce Don’t Dress For Dinner. The fact they attempted a work with such expansive dialogue is to their credit, and the fact that every wink and nod enabled the jokes to land without a hitch makes them worthy of acclaim. To put it plainly, the cast from HBHS is terrific. Continue Reading

In the grand scheme of theater history, a play that debuted in 1990 is a relatively recent one. Yet a lot of things can change during a span of twenty-five years, which is why in 2015 playwright Josefina López chose to update her play Real Women Have Curves. Continue Reading

Frank Abagnale, Jr. is a fascinating character from 1960s American crime lore. Before reaching the age of 21 he forged checks and bilked million of dollars from banks. He posed as a Pan Am pilot, a surgeon in a Georgia hospital and even an attorney—to name but a few of his alleged professions. Eventually he was caught, and after serving a minimum sentence, he became a fraud consultant for the FBI. Steven Spielberg made a lighthearted and fun movie of his life, Catch Me If You Can, which focused on the taut relationship between Abagnale and Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent who pursued and eventually arrested him. Sound like the perfect recipe for a Broadway musical? It’s not. The production currently running at the Attic Community Theater ably demonstrates its shortcomings.Continue Reading

Ladies and gentlemen, she’s back. The girl with the curly red hair, the sandy-colored dog, the steadfast optimism and the voice of gold–Annie. Annie has returned to us, this time for one week over at Peppertree Park in Tustin. Her mission, to spread courage and good cheer while entertaining families in an outdoor setting late at night. Does she succeed? In spite of sound issues and rushed pacing, I would say its close enough.Continue Reading